DPRK only asked U.S. for partial sanctions removal, says FM

Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-01 06:33:20|Editor: xuxin

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VIETNAM-HANOI-DPRK FOREIGN MINISTER-PRESS CONFERENCE

Foreign Minister of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Ri Yong Ho (3rd, L) attends an activity in Hanoi, Vietnam, March 1, 2019. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) only proposed that the United States partially remove its sanctions against Pyongyang, said the country's foreign minister here early Friday. (Xinhua/Wang Shen)

HANOI, March 1 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) only proposed that the United States partially remove its sanctions against Pyongyang, said the country's foreign minister here early Friday.

"What we proposed was not the removal of all sanctions, but they are partial removal," said Ri Yong Ho at a press conference, adding the DPRK only asked for those sanctions impeding the livelihood of its people to be removed first.

If the United States agrees to the proposal, the DPRK "will permanently and completely dismantle all the nuclear production facilities in Yongbyon area, including plutonium and uranium in the presence of U.S. experts and by the joint work of technicians of both countries," Ri said.

"This proposal was the biggest denuclearization measures we can take at the present stage in relation to the current level of confidence between the U.S. and DPRK," he added.

Ri said that during the bilateral meeting, the DPRK expressed intent to make commitment on permanent halt of the nuclear testing and long-range rocket launch test in written form in order to address the concern of the United States.

"However, during the meeting, the United States insisted we should take one more step besides the dismantlement of nuclear facilities in Yongbyon area. Therefore, it's crystal clear that the United States was not ready to accept our proposal," he said.

He stressed that the DPRK's principle stand will remain unchanged if the United States proposes negotiations again in the future.

DPRK top leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump held their second summit in Hanoi, Vietnam on Wednesday and Thursday, which ended without a deal.

"Basically they (DPRK) want the sanctions lifted, in their entirety, and we couldn't do that," Trump said at a press conference after the summit.